Unexpected
by AzaryaTsuki
Summary: Ever since he had thought Stark was dead after guiding that missile to the other dimension, things had changed for Steve. He didn't want to lose another friend, no matter how much they argued, and now it seemed as if there was something more going on within Steve. Rated M for future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first fanfic, so please don't burn me alive if I don't get things the way they should be! This is based off of a roleplay I did with my best friend, Zeirna, so all credit for anything to do with Tony Stark goes to her. I hope you enjoy it and leave plenty of reviews! **

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!**

Steve Rogers woke with a start. The shouts and gunshots of his nightmare were already fading and giving way to reality. He sat up slowly, taking in the dark environment of his suite. Steve had gotten used to the nightmares during the war, especially after he had lost Bucky. He never thought they would haunt him for this long.

Steve flipped the covers off of him and headed to the high tech bathroom in his suite in Stark Tower. He had insisted on staying in his simple apartment in Brooklyn, but Director Fury claimed at least two Avengers should stay in the headquarters at any given time. For now, it was the Captain and his best friend, Tony Stark.

Quickly deciding he was not going to go back to sleep, he washed his face and threw on a thin grey t-shirt before heading out into the corridor in his pajamas to see if Stark was awake. The smaller man had a tendency to work in all hours of the day and usually through the night, so there was a good chance of finding him working in the shop.

He hit the elevator button and stepped in to begin the descent into the lower levels where Stark built his workshop. None too soon, the doors dinged and opened to a wide hallway. He could hear the bass from the band AC/DC coming through the walls already as he knocked heavily on the thick doors, hoping to be heard over the noise Stark called music.

The double bolted doors made a soft whirring sound before unlatching and sliding open, revealing the dramatic mess that Stark considered his work station. The music proved to be much louder now that there were no sound barriers between Steve and the speakers.

Jarvis's disembodied voice greeted him. "Good morning, Captain Rogers." It was not uncommon that Jarvis would simply allow Steve into the garage. Tony did not mind his presence. Steve was the only one, other than Pepper, who could walk in and be welcomed. Other times, Fury would have to override the systems just to get inside, much to his annoyance.

Tony's location was predictably in the farthest corner of the room, where all 18 custom model cars were. Surprisingly, nothing was set aflame as of yet. His brilliant cursing could easily be heard from across the room, mixed with the harsh babble of song lyrics.

As Steve stepped into the wild environment of clanking metal and music, he could see a pair of legs sticking out from underneath a red model car from the 80's. A robot was rummaging through a large tool chest, idly picking at the utensils before pulling one out and leaning towards the vehicle.

A soiled hand darted out from under the car and snatched the tool. Not even four seconds later, the tool was whipped back out, jabbing the robot in the side with an odd echo. "Damn it, I said the twenty two centimeter spanner, not the ratchet. Jesus, Dummy, if you give me that one more time…" Tony groaned and scooted his way from underneath the vehicle. Tony didn't even notice Steve standing there; he only turned his back to him and scowled at the car.

Steve chuckled as Tony yelled at his robot. Knowing better than to ask Jarvis to turn off the music in order to be heard, he made his way through the maze of mechanical contraptions to his friend. By the time he had made his way over to the corner of the shop that inhabited Tony, the only visible part of him was his rear end. Tony's top half was currently bent over the exposed engine of the car he was working on.

The sudden thrill of adrenaline that ran through his system at the sight caused Steve to blush slightly. He looked away awkwardly and cleared his throat loud enough to be heard, trying to make the rush of color go away. Tony's surprise was easily noted in the way his shoulders tensed. The engineer eventually relaxed and let out a strange sigh. He responded without turning around. "Hey, Cap. Good morning… err—after noon..? Shit, what time is it, Jarvis?"

"It is currently three fifteen a.m. sir." Tony seemed to cringe when the time was announced. He had probably forgotten to eat again… or perhaps he missed a meeting by several hours… or both. It wouldn't surprise Steve in the least.

"Huh…" He drawled out, spinning around to quirk an eyebrow at the soldier. Tony's hands lazily wiped off the oil and sludge onto his pants as he spoke, "You're up early. Need something?" His eyes were bright and curious, looking at Steve like he was seeing something specifically strange.

"Nah," Steve said, still trying to remove the sight of Tony's rear sticking up in the air from his thoughts. "Can't sleep. Just came down to see what you're working on."

The soldier ran his eyes over the old fashioned car. He knew it would have been considered 'The Future' in his time, but compared to cars in this day and age it was probably an antique. Steve finally managed to meet Tony's eyes and offered a playful grin. "I'm almost worried that you haven't blown anything up yet. You feeling all right?" he joked, knowing Tony was notorious for making things blow up unintentionally and it had been a while since Stark had exploded something beyond all recognition.

Tony's mouth quirked in preparation for a smart aleck comment, but when he caught the way Steve's tired eyes watched him, he made a worried noise. "You all right? Need something to distract your thoughts?" Tony offered Steve a genuine smile, stepping up to him and patting him on the shoulder. "We could go blow something up. That usually helps me sleep."

The thought of explosions sent Steve reeling back into the nightmare he had woken up from. The grenades detonating mere feet away from him and the trees shattering from large caliber guns still troubled him. Even though his shield had protected him, others he had known fell around him.

"It might not be a good idea to blow anything up right now, especially if you haven't slept or eaten yet. We don't need you to pass out in the middle of something like that," Steve remarked dryly. He quickly wiped the memories from his facial features. Steve could only hope that Tony hadn't noticed. "How about we go upstairs and get you something to eat? I doubt that you've eaten within the last twenty-four hours… or slept for that matter," Steve managed to actually sound convincing as he turned and gestured for Tony to lead the way.

Tony only squinted at Steve skeptically. "Are you going to cook me breakfast? Because, if that wasn't your idea, we have a problem. Thor somehow managed to break the last coffee machine we had before prancing off to Asgard to check on his bastard brother." He dipped his head towards the door, still eyeing Steve with great suspicion. Without another sound, he began trotting to the door, making sure to step into some plush slippers before walking ahead of Steve.

He made idle suggestions about what Steve could make for him as they went through the maze of Tony's projects. "But you know, if you don't feel like making me anything—I can always get some more scotch." He smiled at Steve, but his excitement couldn't hide the tiredness in his face.

Steve scoffed at the smaller man's response. "Scotch is not food, for the last time, Stark. You need something other than liquor for your body to run properly, including that genius mind of yours." He followed Tony through the huge metal doors and headed to the elevator. He hit the button and turned to his friend. "What do you like to eat? Scrambled eggs? Pancakes? My culinary arsenal might be a little outdated, but I'm sure those are still around," Steve chuckled slightly.

The elevator arrived and they stepped in, standing in opposite corners. Steve felt the additional pull of gravity as the machine made its way upward. He had to ignore the slight nausea that always happened when he was in small spaces. He was about to say something else when there was a loud grinding noise and the lights flickered. The elevator stopped with a jolt and the lights went out.

The faint glow of the device in Tony's chest through the material of his shirt dimly lit the small space. They looked at each other in the darkness, waiting for the elevator to correct itself. Steve began to worry when it didn't. Small spaces weren't exactly his best friend. They reminded him too much of the cluttered, compact train where he had lost Bucky.

"Soo, uhh…" Tony began, his voice quivering slightly as he shuffled his back against the wall. He lightly patted his thighs to keep him entertained, and even whistled awkwardly. When the elevator shook slightly, there was a sharp intake of breath from Steve and Stark was suddenly right next to him. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it? You wanted to get me stuck in a small compressed space with you. You're going to do something evil… " His tone was low and teasing, and he jabbed a finger in Steve's general direction. "And just to think you got me with the temptation of blueberry pancakes." Tony scoffed playfully, folding his arms over his chest and partially covering the soft glow of his arc reactor. It angled the light up to his face, making the whites of his eyes shine.

Steve chuckled nervously, grateful for his friend's attempt at distracting him. Tony already knew about Steve's mild aversion to elevators. He tried to think of a smart-alecky response through the fog in his mind and ended up stammering, "Y-yeah… It was my plan all along to trap you here in the middle of the night so I could so unspeakable things to you." He might have sounded convincing if not for the slight tremor in his voice.

The only thing that seemed to help distract Steve was just concentrating on Tony's face lit from below. It set shadows that accented his handsome cheekbones and the lines of his eyebrows. Glad the darkness hid his face, he looked away from Tony and cleared his throat. "So..." he began pitifully, "Blueberry you say?"

The chuckle that followed echoed in the small container of the elevator. "I knew it! But wait, _why_ would you want to trap me here with you? Trying to steal my _innocence_ are you?" Tony exaggerated a few words; Steve didn't have to look at his face to know he was smiling broadly now. "I would have thought that I would be the one trying to get _you_ alone to defile _your_ innocence. You have so much to learn…" Tony trailed off, not entirely sure where he was going with that.

Instead, he stood beside Steve with his back to the wall, and tried for small talk. He could probably already sense that Steve was becoming somewhat unnerved. "Well, I haven't actually had a pancake in months. But I do love blueberries, I like the way they pop in my mouth." Tony couldn't help but talk with his hands, even though he knew neither of them could really see what he was doing. "What kind of pancakes do you like? Do you make them thin and crispy or thick like cake? I used to like mine with Kahlua."

Steve felt the blood rush to his face again and felt thankful for the lack of light in the small space. His _innocence_ was a topic he hadn't ever thought about, let alone talked about. "I… uhh… I used to make them thick with chocolate chips and bananas," he managed to say.

It wasn't the tiny space that had made it hard to form coherent thoughts anymore. It was the way Stark's lips moved when he talked. Since that was the only thing he could see, Steve had already memorized every movement of those velvety looking lips. As the mental image of what it would be like to feel those lips entered his mind, he forcibly removed his train of thought from that track.

The Captain tried to shift awkwardly away from his friend and teammate, but he only managed to move a few more centimeters before he was smushed against the wall of the suspended elevator. Steve involuntarily thought of seeing Stark pressed against the wall and had to let out a slightly shuddering breath.

What was wrong with him? Tony was his friend. His _male_ friend. His _straight, _male friend. His _taken,_ straight, male friend. Either way, Tony wouldn't return Steve's confused feelings, whether he was with Pepper or not.

The soldier had grown very fond of the genius/ billionaire/ playboy/ philanthropist. Ever since he had thought Stark was dead after guiding that missile to the other dimension, things had changed for Steve. He didn't want to lose another friend, no matter how much they argued, and now it seemed as if there was something more going on within Steve. He hadn't felt this way since Peggy and he felt strangely guilty for that on top of everything else.

Tony laughed in his throat again. He tilted back and slightly to the side, pressing his weight into Steve's arm. "Honestly, that sounds absolutely disgusting. Dark, white, or milk chocolate?" Tony's hand absently scratched at his goatee as he contemplated something, the look on his face going blank for a moment before it twisted back into a wry smile. "You know, chocolate is a natural mood enhancement. The chemicals release special endorphins in your brain. I can think of a couple of better uses for chocolate besides food."

Steve's mind went completely blank at the suggestive comment and the feel of Tony's slight weight on his arm. Steve leaned against Tony a bit, feeling more of the comforting weight. The skin to skin contact was slightly unnerving. "I-uh... I didn't know that actually," he responded slowly, more thoughts were entering his mind about the simple feel of Tony against him.

"Ahaha, of course you didn't! But that's why having me as a friend is such a good thing." Tony conceded, patting the back of his hand against Steve's chest lazily. "Next time you come to my suite, I'll have to show you a lot of things." Tony's eyes glanced down at the slight twitch on Steve's lips, and he stared for a moment before laughing softly at his expression. "Now I feel like I'm starving. This is your fault. If they don't fix this elevator, it looks like I'll have to eat you instead of pancakes." He paused, tapping his finger on his nose in silent consideration. "Or I could just take a rain check and skip straight to the drinking."

A small smile escaped Steve's lips and he shook his head in mild exasperation. No matter the situation, Tony always seemed to know how to distract Steve. The nausea was gone, but the guilt remained because the image of pressing his lips against Stark's was still fresh in his mind. The lights flickered back to life and Jarvis's voice came over the speakers, "I am terribly sorry for the delay. The problem with the power to the elevator has been corrected." The elevator moved again and dropped the duo off on the floor with all of their suites and the communal kitchen. Steve led the way, pulling Tony by the wrist to the kitchen.

Tony allowed Steve to drag him along with little struggle, his eyes bright at the prospect of food despite his obvious fatigue. He left the shorter man near the counter and continued on his way to the fridge to get the ingredients for the blueberry pancakes. Feeling slightly awkward in the silence, Steve tried to fill it with small talk to distract his thoughts of the elevator. "So, what were you trying to do to that car downstairs?"

Without his coffee and scotch, Tony's impatience began to show through. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was tapping his fingers along his biceps. "I just got that one yesterday, actually. It is a Camaro IROC-Z. She originally get's around 18 miles per gallon." Tony said with a spark in his eye, obviously getting easily excited at the mention of his newest project. "I was adding a nitro engine because I like to go faster than fast when I drive." He shifted himself to lean against the counter by Steve, meticulously eying what the man was doing. Tony's lips curved in a wry smile again as he quietly said, "Eighty-six thousand dollars…"

Steve's fingers tensed on the mixing spoon that was stirring the pancake batter. It was just a quick and easy recipe he learned as a kid. "Eighty-six thousand!" he exclaimed. He never would get used to the way Stark seemed to throw around what would have been a fortune to Steve like it was pocket change.

The soldier shook his head and went back to the pancake mix. Deeming it ready to cook, Steve got out a griddle from one of the cupboards and doled out the mixture onto the pan. "How big do you like your pancakes?" he asked, glancing over at Stark.

Tony waved off Steve's surprise with a wave of his hand. "I dunno how I want them. I usually just tell Pepper or Happy to get what I like. They seem to know more than me." Tony said nonchalantly, making his way over to the fridge. "Just do whatever. As long as I get food, I'll be happy." He smiled tiredly, pulling out a jug of orange juice from the fridge. He snapped off the cap and drank straight from the container.

He drank about half of the container before speaking again. "Oh, I should add some nitro to your silly little scooter! You should beef it up to a 420, at least." Tony was talking with his hands again, somehow managing to not spill juice everywhere while he waved the container around. He spoke with a toothy grin, "You know, there's actually a Harley Davison brand cruiser called Captain America?" Stark took another swig of the juice before practically tossing it back into the refrigerator.

"It's not a silly little scooter!" Steve defended, eyeing Stark with horror as he drank straight from the carton. "It's a classic! And I'm not letting you near it. It doesn't need whatever fancy upgrade you think it does." He waved a spatula at Stark to punctuate his point before flipping the generously sized pancakes. He had to remember to not drink any orange juice until a new jug was bought.

Steve shook his head and served the fluffy blueberry pancakes onto a plate and slid it across the counter to his friend. Stark managed to eat in relative silence, occasionally telling Steve a little bit more about the car he was working on. He even tried to convince Steve to let him make a few tweaks to his motorcycle which Steve ignored.

Once Tony was done eating, Steve walked him to his suite. He didn't trust the eccentric Avenger to go to sleep and he wasn't satisfied until Stark plopped down onto his bed. Steve allowed himself to steal one last look at the sleeping man before snapping himself out of it and closing the door behind him.

**A/N: Wow! First fanfic done! Hope you like it and there is more on the way as soon as I write it! Let me know if you want more in a review!**


	2. Chapter 2

__**A/N: Well, I'm back! And I come bearing fanfiction! You asked for more and here it is! I hope you like it. ^_^**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!**

_Steve pressed Stark against the wall, pinning him with his body…_

Jab, jab, cross. Jab, jab, cross.

_Hands grasped at his hair, pulling him forward. Their lips met in a velvet soft kiss…_

Left, right, left, right, left, BAM!

_Darn it,_ thought Steve. He had not meant to knock another punching bag off the chains that held it up. The soldier had let his mind wander again as he worked out. Why was the scene in the elevator the only thing on his mind?

Since he had already been working out for the last few hours, Steve had developed a light coating of sweat on his skin. He glanced over at the clock on the wall of the training area.

_8:24 a.m._

Maybe he had been down here longer than he thought. Steve picked up the broken punching bag carefully and cradled it under his arm to dispose of it. He knew one of the maintenance people would take care of it, but he figured it was the least he could do to pick up his own messes. Stopping only to toss the piece of equipment down the chute in the wall, Steve made his way to the elevator and pushed the button.

He remembered the last time he had used the elevator and opted for the stairs instead before the doors could even open. Creating another workout, Steve took the steps three at a time in rapid succession. Before he was even winded, he had made it up 10 floors and had to slow down. He only had one more floor to go, anyway.

Steve stepped out of the stairwell onto the residential floor of the Tower and made a bee line for the fridge to grab a bottle of water. Twisting the cap off, he downed the liquid in one sitting and grabbed another. As he turned to head back to his room, the elevator gave an alarming ding.

Pepper Potts and Bruce Banner stepped off the machine, looking rather awkward. Pepper saw Steve first and walked over to him with a smile. Bruce was content to glance around the entire room, most likely looking for the best possible escape routes.

"Hello, Steve," Pepper said brightly. "Have you seen Tony around? We checked the workshop already and he wasn't there."

"Uhh, yes ma'am. He's in his room sleeping. I had to drag him up here early this morning so he would get some rest," he replied.

Pepper groaned dramatically and threw her hands up in the air. "Great! Now we're going to be late, as usual."

Bruce cautiously made his way over and gave Pepper a calm look. "Give him some slack, Ms. Potts. You know how he gets when he works on something."

She just rolled her eyes and turned towards the hall to go wake Stark. Pepper was stopped short when she saw him standing there, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with a huge yawn.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," Tony said with a lazy grin, walking over to them and ignoring Pepper's glare. "Let me get my case at least, and then we can get the hell out of here." He added with a friendly nod to Bruce, who smiled back vigilantly.

"Think you can hold down the fort all by yourself?" Tony teased Steve with a clasp on the shoulder as he shuffled his way back to his room to fetch his things.

Steve just looked quizzically at the back of Tony's shirt as he went back into his room. With a slight shake of his head, he glanced back over to Pepper to ask, "What's going on? Business trip?" Tony had not mentioned anything of the sort. Then again, he _was_ working on a new toy. That would also explain why Dr. Banner was here. Two Avengers should be at the Tower at all times or at least in the general vicinity, as per Director Fury's suggestion.

Ms. Potts brightened and replied, "No. Actually, he's taking me to Paris for the weekend on a romantic getaway." The lines around her eyes deepened as she said this, betraying her stress despite the smile.

Genuinely concerned, Steve asked, "Are you all right, Ms. Potts? You look… tired." He did not want to overstep his boundaries in any way. Women were strange, unpredictable creatures.

"Oh, I'm fine." She waved away his concerns and softened her features to something more believable. Steve was not fooled.

It was not long before Tony emerged from the hallway with a wide smile. His attire was adequately appropriate for the occasion: dark slacks and a leather jacket. In his left hand, his fingers clutched a large metallic briefcase. The tendons stood out as his muscles contracted and relaxed on the handle. The Stark International Logo shimmered brilliantly against the reflective surface.

"Alright, let's get this rolling," Tony said enthusiastically, passing by Steve and stepping between Bruce and the elevator. "Jarvis, make sure Steve thoroughly understands the concept of cell phones and laptops," he commented, his smile flashing white teeth.

"Of course, sir," Jarvis responded immediately. Tony leaned over and kissed Pepper on the cheek while she was not paying attention before strolling into the elevator.

"Try not to miss me," he said aloud. It was unclear if that statement was directed towards Jarvis or Steve… or both.

Pepper just shook her head in mild exasperation and offered Steve an amused smile. "Always such a diva," she said, pretending to hide the remark behind her hand.

"Heard that," Tony's voice replied dryly from the elevator. Pepper sighed and turned to follow her boyfriend.

"Have a good weekend, Ms. Potts," Steve called as she stepped in. He was not sure if it was his imagination or not, but he thought he saw her shoulders slump slightly before she corrected her posture. The doors closed before he could be sure.

Steve and Bruce stood in an uncomfortable silence for a few more moments before Steve broke it. "So," he began, "care to show me which remote does what for the T.V.? I keep getting them all mixed up."

Bruce chuckled and nodded his head. Steve joined in his quiet laughter and sat down on the couch. He diligently listened to Dr. Banner's explanation of the difference between the television remote, DVD remote, and surround sound remote. Unfortunately, he was still lost before the doctor even began. His thoughts were about what would be happening in Paris.

Steve pulled his motorcycle into the underground garage of the Tower and cut the engine. After Bruce had finished his futile attempt at showing Steve the difference between all of the remotes, he had wandered off to his lab to arrange things. That had left Steve with nothing to do.

He would have asked the doctor what he was working on, but he had not been sure if he wanted to know or would even understand his explanation. Instead, he had gotten on his bike and drove around the city. It had changed so much from what he remembered.

The buildings were larger and sharper. The names across the entrances were none that he recognized. The cars that roared around him looked like nothing he could have imagined evolving from the cars of his day.

His musings had been rudely interrupted when he had seen someone get dragged down an alley.

He had immediately stopped his motorcycle near the curb, not caring if he could park there or not, and rushed to help the civilian. It was a teenage boy who was cornered by three thugs demanding he empty his pockets. The scrawny kid had been trembling in horror, but refused. He reminded Steve of himself before the procedure had changed his life.

Steve stepped forward, his temper easily seen in the set of his shoulders and the muscles twitching in his jaw. "Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" he called. All three thugs whipped around, their attention fully on the Captain. The kid took his chance and ran through the other end of the alley, wide eyed with fear mixed with relief.

"Mind your own business!" one of them yelled back. The muggers looked Steve up and down, appraising the possibility of being able to take him. They decided to go for it and surrounded Steve.

He remained still and simply said, "You really don't want to do this. Why don't you go back home and—" One of the muggers cut him off with a swipe of a pocket knife. Steve easily dodged it and grabbed his wrist in a firm grip, swinging him into his companions with a quick movement. He grimaced inwardly as he felt the joint come out of place beneath his fingers with a sickening _pop!_ As they tumbled to the ground, the soldier crossed his arms over his chest and finished his sentence as if he had never been interrupted, "—be with your families. I'm sure they would miss you if anything happened to you."

The injured mugger cradled the wrist to his chest and looked at Steve with pure hatred before stalking off without another word. Just as the muggers turned to follow their leader, two police officers rounded the corner into the other end of the alley, followed by the boy from earlier. The muggers tried to backtrack, but Steve had blocked their way.

They were arrested without any further struggle, the one with the dislocated wrist swore at the officer when they handled him too roughly. Seeing his work as done, Steve left the alley unnoticed and drove away on his motorcycle. The sun was setting when he made his way back to the Tower to rest.

It was somewhere around 3 a.m. when Steve awoke from another nightmare. Again, he decided that he was unable to sleep soundly. Needing something simple to calm his mind to keep it from reeling back to the horrors of war, he left his room to find something to distract him.

Steve pressed the button to reveal the keypad to unlock the door to the staircase. Steve punched in the code and made his way up the stairs at a slow pace. He wanted to go to the balcony near the top of the Tower. His boots echoed on the walls with every step he took.

He stepped into the lounge area of the Tower. The view from the wide paneled windows was breathtaking. The sky had darkened with nightfall while he was coming up the stairs; the lights below made it look like Christmas all year round.

Steve stepped to the door of the huge balcony that overlooked the city and was surprised to see Tony standing there with his back to him. There were unlabeled bottles of liquor clustered around his feet. Steve counted five of them, not counting the one Tony had in his hand. This was not good.

"You're back early. I thought you were going to be in Paris all weekend," Steve said quietly, not wanting to startle the obviously drunk Avenger.

"I messed up." Tony's voice cracked as he called out to Steve. He did not bother turning around as he spoke, he only took another swig of his alcohol. The edge of his shoulders slouched as he ducked his head down to rest against his arm on the balcony railing. After a moment of silence with the soft shudder of breathing, Stark let out a long sigh.

"Pepper… she left me," he said solemnly, finally turning to stare through Steve. He swayed slightly and gripped the railing with the hand holding the bottle for balance. His other hand was flexing into a fist, the curve of his fingers fiddling with something that shimmered in the moonlight.

Steve walked over to his best friend and put his hand on his shoulder to offer what comfort he could. He had the urge to put his arms around Tony and tell him things would be all right, but the soldier restrained himself and calmly looked at Tony. Concern radiated from the Captain as he asked, "What happened?"

Tony visibly caught himself before he said anything. Steve squeezed Tony's shoulder lightly and inched closer to him, leaning his hip against the railing. "You're doing that worried, crinkly eyebrow thing again," he said with a slight chuckle, leaning away from the railing with minimum struggle. He gave the captain a forced smile, something that looked practiced.

"Well, I took her around Paris. We went sightseeing and shopping. She certainly enjoyed herself when she was spending our money –err… my money." He began with great enthusiasm, delicately setting down his bottle of liquor like it was his child. "I took her to the most expensive restaurant there. It was right next to the Eiffel Tower. Au Bon Accueil…" Tony's voice slowly drifted into silence, but was quickly broken by another solid laugh. "Ah, I don't know. I guess she couldn't handle me."

There was a pause.

"I don't understand how; I'm too damn irresistible!" He said with a wide gesture of his arms, a hand catching on the alcohol bottle. It was sent careening off of the balcony and into the night. Tony watched nonchalantly. "Well shit."

Steve leaned both of his elbows onto the balcony railing and gave Tony a measured look. He wasn't buying any of it. He knew Stark too well. "And how do you really feel about it, Stark?" he said simply, keeping his face blank.

Tony gave another heavyhearted snicker. "Now you're starting to sound like a therapist," he accused Steve with a wave of his hand, those brown eyes gauging his concern. When Steve did not budge, Tony playfully groaned.

"Everything was going perfect. I did everything right, or at least I thought I did," he began in a low tone, his face knitting itself into a drunken scowl. "We talked, we laughed…" He stopped for a moment and forced himself to continue. "And then I was going to propose to her. I ordered champagne, and told the waiter to put the ring in her glass," he said, subconsciously looking down to his hand and then back out to the sky.

"But then… then she said something to me." Tony scoffed to hide the waver in his voice as he turned to Steve. His faced displayed his exhausted sadness.

Tony's lips curved up in a dark smile as he said in his defense, "I know I'm not the best at being romantic, but… this was just unexpected.

"'I've noticed that you have eyes for someone else... and that someone has eyes for you, too,' she said, just as the waiter was coming up behind her." Stark paused for a breath, licking his dry lips as he glanced away from Steve. His eyes were glassy, and he squinted away the moisture.

Tony's hand came into view, slowly opening to reveal an ornate band. The glimmer of the diamond sparkled against his palm, and there were imprints from where he had held the ring too tight. Without warning, he spun around and whipped the band over the balcony with a snarl. "That's going to make someone happy in the morning," he spat.

"Stark," Steve whispered, turning to his friend and standing to his full height. Seeing Tony hurt like this tugged at Steve's heart. He grabbed both of Tony's shoulders and turned him to see his face before wrapping his muscular arms around the shorter man in a gentle embrace.

Steve did not know what hurt more; the fact that Tony was hurt or that he "had eyes for someone else." For some reason, those words had struck home for the soldier.

Before he stepped over some social boundary about men hugging, he took a step back and looked Tony in the eye. Their faces were only inches apart. His hands tightened on the shorter man's shoulders and whispered the only words he could think of. "Everything is going to be all right."

Tony shrugged away from Steve's grip, pinching the bridge of his nose. "No. No, it's not going to be all right. It's never going to be all right." Tony snapped, staring into Steve's eyes defiantly.

Steve stared back into the blazing eyes of his friend and he felt the muscles in his jaw tighten as his instinct to protect kicked in. He wanted to protect Tony from his pain and it killed him that his efforts were not working. Steve raised his hand to reach out for Tony again, but stopped himself and let it fall back to his side.

"I refuse to believe that." His voice was barely above a whisper. Tony snorted. Leaning down so he could level his gaze with Stark's, he repeated in a stronger voice, "_I refuse to believe that." _His eyes blazed just as bright as Tony's, conveying the pain and understanding he felt for the man.

Tony murmured something inaudible under his breath with a frown, his eyes flicking down to take in the curve of Steve's lips. Before the captain had a chance to comment further, Tony captured those lips with his own in a soft kiss. His body pressed heavily against Steve's chest, and an arm came up to snake around Steve's neck.

Shock flooded the Captain's system as their lips met. His heart beat heavily as he felt Tony's warm body press against him. Steve's arms automatically circled Tony's waist and he shifted his weight to his other foot, nudging something glass with his toe by accident.

One of Tony's bottles.

Steve took Tony's shoulders one last time and pushed him back gently. "You're drunk," he said. "It's time for you to rest and sleep this off."

When Tony made no move to go anywhere, Steve sighed quietly and scooped up his friend bridal style. Surprisingly, Tony went limp and let himself be carried with only a few whiny protests. Steve toed open the doors and laid his drunken friend on the bed slowly.

He moved lower to remove Stark's shoes and maneuvered the sheets out from under him to cover him up. "Good night, Tony," he whispered.

Tony's arm flashed out to catch Steve's wrist, but he fell short and his hand slapped the sheets instead. Turning on his side, Tony looked at Steve and offered an odd grin before closing his eyes. "Don't leave me…" he protested before rolling onto his face to rest. His breathing immediately evened out to one of deep slumber.

The words Tony said sank in and made Steve sigh wistfully. Tony was drunk. By the look of how many bottles he had had, it wasn't likely for Stark to remember much about tonight. Steve couldn't contain the second sigh as he ran his fingers over the sleeping man's hair affectionately.

He thought of what Pepper had said to Tony and removed his fingers guiltily. Tony had feelings for someone else. It hurt him to acknowledge it, but the Captain decided then and there to keep his own feelings a secret. He would remain Stark's friend and be there for him in any way he could.

**A/N: BAM! There ya go, another Chapter down! While I have your attention, REVIEW! I love getting reviews and hearing from my readers! And hey, don't be afraid to give me ideas! Don't be offended if I don't use them though, I have a plot to follow xD. **

**Credit for anything Tony says or does goes to my best friend ever, Zeirna! You help me out soo much!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I am so sorry it has taken this long to update guys! But hey! Look! New chapter! I have loved every review I have gotten on this story and hope for more! They make me so happy! Everything to do with Tony was Zeirna!**

**Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!**

After Steve had put Tony to bed, he had stayed with the man as he had asked. However, as time went by, Steve's mind wandered into places he would rather not visit. Not when the object of those thoughts was sleeping barely three feet from him.

He had quietly exited the suite to find something to distract him, not once looking back at the sleeping man.

Ever since then, Tony had locked himself in his workshop, vigorously working on several projects. Steve could not even get him to come upstairs for meals, and the meals he brought down barely got touched. The Captain noticed bottles disappearing from behind the bar, though. It worried Steve to no end, and he made that known.

After many reassurances that Stark was "fine," Steve decided to go to his apartment in Brooklyn. Stark was obviously the "suffer in silence" type –or more accurately, "suffer in the deafening roar of music" type. No matter how badly Steve wanted to help and comfort the saddened man, he simply shoved those feelings into the back of his mind and gave his friend the space he was wordlessly asking for.

Back at his apartment, he busied himself with whatever he could find. He picked up stray bits of clothing, vacuumed, did his laundry, and cleaned anything else he could think of. The tall blond made sure to focus on everything he did and took his time doing it. Even he had to admit that it was an excellent method to clear one's thoughts. Time flew by and it was nighttime when he realized there was nothing left to do.

The Captain sighed and grabbed a freshly washed towel before going to the bathroom to shower. He undressed slowly, folding his clothes carefully and putting them in a neat pile. Finally, he stepped into the stall and let the hot water roll off him, unknotting the muscles of his back and neck while letting the relaxation seep into his mind and body while he washed. For the first time since arriving at his home, Steve finally allowed himself to think. The calming sound of running water always made things seem easier to handle for the soldier.

Thoughts drifted through his mind with no real order until they finally settled on what he wanted to avoid thinking about all day.

Tony Stark.

Steve sighed in defeat. He knew it was only a matter of time before the scientist made it into his thoughts again. The soldier might as well get it out of his system now that he was alone. He went through everything he had been shoving to the back of his mind and thoroughly analyzed it.

So, he had wanted to protect and comfort Tony from the pain he was feeling. That was completely normal. _Tony is my friend. Who wouldn't want to comfort a troubled friend? Even in this day and age, it's acceptable to soothe with a hug, isn't it?_ Steve thought.

Then, he remembered the kiss on the balcony and he remembered how he had begun to _kiss back._ Steve had wanted to kiss Tony Stark –a man– since they had gotten stuck in the elevator together. He had even fantasized about it while he was working out later that morning.

Steve rested his forehead on the cool tile of the shower wall and gritted his teeth, frustrated by everything. None of it made any _sense_. Why would he be having any of these feelings towards Tony, who was as much of a man as himself? Unless…

Steve jerked upright suddenly. The shower was spraying him directly in the face, but he barely noticed it. _No…_ he thought. _Could I really be…?_

"Gay?" he whispered the word aloud, unable to believe it, much less understand it. It was absurd.

He thought about Peggy. He had these feelings for her and she was definitely a woman. There was also that woman Peggy had caught kissing him. Not to mention all of the double dates Bucky had dragged him into. Steve was definitely straight… was he not?

Come to think about it, the women Bucky had introduced to him were quite pretty, but Steve had never found an interest in them. Actually, he was only ever interested in talking with Bucky. Steve chalked that up to his general discomfort around women and the fact that Bucky was his only friend.

The woman who had kissed him was also very pretty, but his body had not reacted to the kiss the way it reacted to Stark. He was actually trying to find the best way to push her away without hurting her feelings the entire time. The Captain analyzed this quickly as just being surprised because a strange woman had been kissing him.

Steve desperately wracked his brain to come up with an instance when he was physically attracted to a woman. He was beginning to panic on the inside; his views on his sexuality were being shaken to the core.

Peggy.

She had kissed him before he faced the Red Skull, and he kissed her back eagerly. Although, could that have just been a goodbye kiss instead of actual feelings for her? They had developed a great friendship and he had begun to think she was the right dance partner. She had been right for him in every way.

Steve was so confused and frustrated over being confused. He mulled over his thoughts until the water ran cold, and then he turned off the nozzle and toweled himself off. A thought came to him then.

_It doesn't matter if I like Tony,_ he thought._ Because there is _no way_ he likes me back._

The image of Tony kissing him popped up in his head and Steve brushed it off. Stark was intoxicated and probably had no idea what he was doing. There was only one logical solution to all of this: Steve was going to ignore his attraction to the other man and act normal. He nodded, decision made.

The soldier threw on a pair of boxer shorts and walked to his bedroom, glad the conundrum in his mind had finally been settled. He nestled deep into the covers and closed his eyes to sleep. For once, he did not have a nightmare that night. Instead, his dreams were plagued with the face of the one man he knew he could never -and should never- have.

The next day, Steve was ordering food at his favorite takeout restaurant when he heard the distant rumble of thunder outside. He could not recall the weatherman calling for thunderstorms, but when one lives that close to the ocean there is no telling when a random storm will hit. Steve paid for the food, thanked the cashier, and grabbed the bags from the counter.

The soldier sidled over to his motorcycle and could not stop himself from looking in the direction where he knew Stark Tower stood. The Captain shook his head and settled onto his motorcycle, securing his meal behind him. When another boom of thunder sounded from above, Steve looked up automatically. The clouds were gathering too quickly to be natural. Lightning laced the rapidly darkening sky not even a second later. Thunder and lightning coalescing that fast could only mean one thing.

Thor was back from Asgard, and he was angry.

The motorcycle roared to life and Steve made his way back to the Tower as fast as traffic would let him. Usually, the Thunder God was inconspicuous when he returned by taking a private jet from New Mexico. Something must have happened if he was creating that big of a storm. Fat droplets of rain hit the back of Steve's shirt as he pulled through the gate onto Stark's property. Luckily, the downpour did not start until Steve was safely in the underground car lot.

Steve pulled into his parking spot and barely remembered to grab the food from the bike before striding over to the elevator. He punched in the code and zoomed up to the top floor. Surprisingly, he did not feel the anxiety from being in the enclosed space; his adrenaline was too high from thinking of reasons for Thor arriving the way he did.

_Had something happened on Asgard? _Steve thought worriedly.

The machine stopped and the soldier put his lunch on the kitchen island calling, "Jarvis! Have there been any calls from Director Fury?"

"Yes, sir. There have been 16 missed calls from SHIELD," Jarvis replied immediately.

Steve blanched. "16 missed calls? Where's Tony? Why hasn't he answered them?"

"Stark is currently en route to the Tower. He has been running system checks in the Iron Man suit and did not want to be disturbed," Jarvis replied simply.

Steve was about to ask Jarvis for more information when the phone's shrill tone cracked through the air.

"SHIELD is calling, sir."

He stalked over to the coffee table, picked up the device, pushed a button, and put it to his ear. "Captain Rogers sp—"he said.

The ringing continued and Steve looked at the device in his hand. It was one of the T.V. remotes. He let out a frustrated growl and put it back on the table, looking for the phone. Why did they all have to look the same?

"Third device from the left, Captain," Jarvis supplied helpfully.

Steve grumbled his thanks to the ceiling and answered the phone. "Captain Rogers speaking," he said quickly into the receiver.

"It's about damn time," Director Fury responded in a dry tone. Obviously, he did not take kindly to being ignored. "Thor Odinson has returned from Asgard and has neglected to check in with SHIELD operatives at the New Mexico base before satellite imagery showed him flying straight to New York. I would assume he is heading for Stark Tower, so I need you to find out what the hell is going on. Agents Romanov and Barton are on their way as well. I understand that Dr. Banner is currently residing in the Tower, correct?"

(This seems like too much talking for Fury in my opinion)

"Yes, sir." Steve's reply was one ingrained in him from the military. It seemed fitting by the rapid fire tone Fury was using.

There was a pause. He was most likely talking to Agent Hill; the woman barely left his side. "Have the Avengers waiting in the meeting room for Thor's report. I expect a full understanding of things when I arrive." With those orders, he hung up the phone.

Steve's mind was spinning. He shook his head to clear it and looked to the ceiling to address Tony's computer. "Jarvis, please ask Dr. Banner to meet us in the conference room on the 21st floor."

"Consider it done, sir."

"Now, where is…?" he wondered aloud, the thought trailing off as a flicker of red caught his attention outside.

A much louder rumble of thunder accompanied a figure landing on the balcony. Thor was clad in full armor, complete with the bright red cape, and his hair was slightly disheveled from flight. His expression looked hard as stone, immediately putting Steve on edge. The God of Thunder strode in through the open glass door, eyes darting around the room until they rested on the soldier. "I come with grave news, and I am in need of your aid," he said somberly.

"The rest of the team will be here soon. You can give us your report at the same time," Steve replied cautiously. He had never known how to deal with the God of Thunder, so he wasn't going to take any chances now. "Let's go wait for the others in the conference room, okay?"

Thor took a deep breath and let it out in a huff. Tension was still prominent in his expression, but at least he no longer looked ready to tear down buildings with his bare hands.

The sound of machines whirring caught both men's attention and they turned to the open balcony door. Tony was walking casually, his suit being taken off piece by piece by the circle of mechanical arms following him. Stark stepped out of his suit nonchalantly and turned to Thor, taking a moment to stare at the god in contemplation. He quickly offered a bored smile before saying, "You're back early. You got my new coffee machine?"

When Thor upheld his unblinking glare, Tony glanced at Steve with raised eyebrows. "He promised me some Asgardian beans, too."

Steve had to swallow the tightness in his throat upon seeing the shorter man. Clearing his throat, he said, "This isn't a time to joke around, Tony. Natasha and Clint will be here soon, as will Director Fury. We have orders to get Thor's report and wait for the Director in the conference room." With that, Steve turned on his heel and gestured for the men to follow him to the elevator. The soldier tried to hide his sudden tension from seeing Tony.

"Oh okay. Didn't know I was hosting a party," Tony said with a weak smile, lazily following the men into the elevator.

The ride to the 21st floor was a silent one. The men stood awkwardly in their own respective corners and waited to get off the machine. They stepped off with the Captain in the lead, and went directly to the conference room. Dr. Banner was already there, as expected. He looked at them all quizzically as they filed into the room. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Got orders from Director Fury to meet in the conference room for Thor's report," Steve replied, hiding his anxiety just as easily. He had always been able to appear calm in almost any situation. One of the perks of growing up being bullied on a daily basis, he figured. All bullies really want is a reaction out of their victims… most of the time. Others just wanted to beat something into the ground to feel superior. "I think we should wait for the rest of the team to get here, so Thor won't have to repeat himself."

"Sergeant Hard Ass better not strut in here and assume control of my tower again," Tony acknowledged from behind Thor, his lips curling into an odd smile.

A few minutes later the elevator dinged and Agents Romanov and Barton walked into the room. Always straight to business, Natasha nodded to them all professionally and took a seat at the meeting table. Everyone else took their seats as well, except for Thor.

The blond god took a deep breath and gave his report. "I bring grave news, my friends." He paused in thought for a moment. "Loki has escaped from Asgard. He was last seen on Earth almost three days ago before he vanished from Heimdall's sight soon after. It is my duty to return him to Asgard, but I cannot do this alone."

Hawkeye, who had visibly stiffened at the mention of Thor's younger brother, spoke up, "Well, what are we doing sittin' around here then? Let's go out there and find him."

"If it were so simple, I would not have come here seeking aid," Thor replied.

"I read that Heimdall was the all-seeing-eye," said Tony.

"My brother has been able to hide himself very well in the past." Thor began pacing as he thought and explained, "He knows of passages between worlds that do not require magic to use, and he is most likely hiding in one of those until he can remove the bindings from his wrists. It is only a matter of time. There is something else as well… Just before he slipped from Heimdall's sight, he was here in the Tower."

Everyone blanched at that; even Tony seemed at a loss for words. Loki had been in the Tower without anyone even noticing. Questions immediately started buzzing around in Steve's head. Natasha was the first to regain her composure. "What is the significance of his bindings?" the spy asked.

"They drain Loki's magic," he said simply, visibly relieved that someone broke the silence. "The chains absorb it until he cannot use even the simplest of spells." Thor looked at everyone seriously. "If he does get them off, we will only have a short window of time until his magic regenerates."

"Didn't he have a gag, too?" chortled Tony before continuing, " Doesn't it hold is tongue in place?". He was leaning back in his chair; hands nestled neatly in his lap. His usual demeanor was back in place and Steve could have grinned, if not for the weight of the situation.

"This isn't a joke, Stark!" Steve exclaimed. "If Loki's loose, then we need to be serious about finding him. He came out into the open last time because he wanted to be captured. I doubt he'll make the same mistake twice."

Tony's hands rose up in a calming motion, and he opened his mouth to speak again.

"I should hope not," said a familiar voice from the doorway. All eyes snapped to see Nick Fury; behind him stood a few agents, including Agent Hill, looking serious and deadly.

He walked into the room casually, but the one eyed director's posture demanded the Avengers' attention. "From what I just heard, Loki Laufeyson is back and was last seen in this building. Correct?" He looked at the Captain expectantly.

When Steve merely nodded, he continued, "Well then, there is no time to waste in finding him." He turned and addressed the agents lined up by the doorway, "I want satellites running facial recognition programs keyed in to Laufeyson's profile. I want search squads to comb the immediate area as subtly as possible and do a thorough sweep through the building." Agents began hurrying around, talking into phones to relay the orders. Fury walked out of the room telling Agent Hill, "Stark Tower is now base of operations and—"

Tony shouted at his back angrily, "Oh come on Fury, I JUST remodeled my tower. Don't go taking my shit again!" He leaned forward and rested an arm on the smooth metal table before him.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic, Tony," said Pepper as she appeared from behind the agents.

"Oh, Hello Pep. Where the hell have you been?" Tony said oddly.

She walked around the table to him, all business as she placed a box on the table in front of him. "I've been doing my job, Mr. Stark. This package arrived for you yesterday." Her tone was completely formal, as if nothing had ever happened between them.

Steve glanced at Tony's face and saw the flicker of emotion before he smothered it with impatience. Still visibly annoyed about his Tower being taken over, he ripped into the package and froze. "I'm not sure how I feel about this." He said lowly, squinting into the box.

Curious, Steve walked over to Tony and peered over his shoulder, careful not to touch him. What he saw made the soldier pale and snatch up the box. He strode over to Thor and held the box out to him. "How big did you say that window was?" he asked, his mouth set in a grim line.

The god was confused. When he looked into the box, he understood immediately. Inside the box sat the chains and gag that once adorned Loki's mouth and wrists.

**A/N: There ya go! Hope you enjoyed! Leave a review with what you liked and disliked. (I'm a big girl and can take the criticism, in fact I encourage it.) Tell me what you think is going to happen and tell me what you think should happen. I am totally open for ideas! Until next time!**


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I am so incredibly sorry that this update took so freaking long. Writer's block is nothing to joke about, let me tell ya! Anyways, here's the newest chapter of Unexpected and I'll be working on Chapter 5 soon!

Disclaimer: I OWN NOTHING!

. . . . . .

Nick Fury strode over to the box and took one look before turning to Dr. Banner and Stark in turn saying, "Banner. Stark. Set up gamma tracking with the chains. If they really are full of Loki's mojo, we could track that signature to the source." His voice was stern and confident that his orders would be carried out. Then again, he is the director of a group of superheroes. He knew what his team could do and trusted them to prove him right.

Tony quirked a dark eyebrow and stole a glance at Banner, who kept his usual neutral demeanor.

"Well, let's hop to it," he began as he rose from his seat and set the box under his arm. "Time to go do awesome science things in the lab!" Tony's eyes brightened when Banner gave him an affirmative nod before they turned away from the table. "Jarvis should keep us posted, let me know if you need something exploded." Stark said before stepping down the hallway, with Banner following suit.

Steve just shook his head at the sudden change in Stark's mood. The man could go from hot to cold in a matter of seconds if the mood struck him. "Captain," he heard Fury call. The soldier turned to his superior and waited for his orders.

"You and Agent Romanov will take a search team and help comb through the city. Barton and Odinson, you'll be the eyes in the sky. Comms will be up before you make it out of the building. Am I clear?" Nick Fury rattled off the orders quickly and efficiently. It was no wonder he is the top of the organization.

The Avengers confirmed their orders and headed out. Something told Steve that searching through the city would be fruitless. If what Thor said was true, Loki might not even be in this dimension.

. . .

Steve stepped into the lounge with Natasha and Clint following close behind. The search through the city had been as fruitless as Steve predicted. He could only hope that Dr. Banner and Stark had had more luck than the other Avengers.

Starving from a full day's work, the Captain made his way over to the refrigerator. He grabbed a couple of apples, a water bottle, and the lunch he never got to eat earlier. If there was one thing he had gotten the hang of when it came to technology, it was the art of working a microwave. He put in his cold take-out and pressed the appropriate buttons. While he waited for his food to heat up, he took a huge bite out of an apple and turned around to lean against the counter.

That is when he noticed the other people in the room. Sure, he knew Natasha and Clint were there, but he was just now seeing Stark and Banner lounging on the couches, talking in not-so-subtle voices. Steve wondered how he could have missed them on his way in.

Tony's face was bright as he spoke to Bruce, his hand clasping the scientist on the shoulder in jest. "To which I said, 'The worst thing about getting hit in the face with pi is that it never ends'," Stark stretched back along the couch like a king, leaning his arm over to offer a bag of random candies to the man next to him. Then, he raised his hands in the air and squared his shoulders to give himself a stern demeanor before saying, "Before he could even comprehend what I said, I slammed a whole tin of banana cream pie into Rhode's face. And then I ran for my life." He did his best to keep another laugh from slipping out, and it ended with Tony snorting in laughter.

Bruce responded with quieter merriment, keeping his smile thin and lax.

"I got him a couple more times after that too," Tony added with a smug grin, dipping his hand into the candy back and pulling out a dark nugget to eat. His eyes wandered around the room and fell on Steve, and Stark called out greetings. "Hello there Cap, how was it?"

"It went as well as it could, I guess," Steve answered. The microwave finally beeped, making the soldier retrieve his food and a fork before he joined the rest of his team on the couches. After a bite of food, he continued, "I think Thor was right when he said Loki could be hiding in between dimensions. Have you had any luck tracking him?"

Tony took his time to respond, slowly chewing on the candy before indulging the captain with an answer. "I had Jarvis scan the chains searching for any leftover residue. There were slight traces of something similar to osmium, but nothing that was useful." He said flatly before looking to Dr. Banner with an amused smirk.

"We did attempt to re calibrate the previous radiation structure from the scepter Loki once held. There were no analogous patterns." Bruce continued apprehensively before standing and excusing himself to check on the equipment. Just as he passed in front of the couch, Tony's arm whipped out suddenly and slapped Bruce square on the ass. "Go get 'em, tiger." He said smugly, trying not to laugh from the sidelong glare he received.

Tony watched the doctor leave with a wide smile. "Jarvis couldn't find a damn hint that anyone besides the Avengers ever entered or exited my tower," he said before standing himself, adjusting the collar of his shirt. The simple thought that Loki could have been watching him sleep made Tony shudder slightly. "I know he can transform into just about anything. Maybe he was that pigeon that shit on my Lamborghini." Tony ignored the snort across the room from Hawkeye and stepped closer to Steve, slapping him on the shoulder with the back of his hand. "When you're done eating your kiddie's meal, want go spar downstairs?"

Steve's mind was still spinning from the use of science words when he saw Tony's hand make contact with Bruce's rear end. His mind blanked for a few moments before allowing Tony's other words to sink in. "U-uh, sure. Yeah, let me finish this real quick," he answered. The supersoldier ate a little faster, mind reeling.

Could Tony like Bruce? Surely the man was straight… he was not known as a playboy for nothing. Then again, Steve remembered seeing football players on the television slapping each other's butts to show a job well done. Perhaps this was a similar display? _'I've noticed that you have eyes for someone else... and that someone has eyes for you, too.'_

Steve shook his head and washed down the remainder of his food with the remnants of the second water bottle. He did not have time to think about that right now; he was trying to forget his own confused feelings toward the man for crying out loud!

Steve took care of his plate and nodded to Tony, "All right. You gonna wear the suit again, or do you want to try without it?" The supersoldier needed to know how well he needed to keep his strength in check.

Tony laughed heartily, already stepping backwards towards the elevator. "I think I can manage without the suit today. I have some damn good dexterity and stamina when I feel like it." He said with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

As they made their way down a few levels, Stark continued a thorough explanation of the radiation tracing they were doing on Loki. It proved to be futile, since it was probably the case that he was hiding between alternate dimensions. It truly frustrated Tony, and he wanted to design a new program that was capable of tagging magical patterns and dampening it.

The elevator doors slid open with an electric ding. Tony eagerly stepped through and veered over to the left. "Just let me get in my shorts first," He called out as he disappeared behind a wall to change into something appropriate for a scrimmage. Steve went to his own locker and changed into his own workout clothes, carefully taping his hands before slipping the obnoxiously red coloured gloves on.

Tony returned in his usual exercise attire, adorned with bright red shoes and gloves. His white tank was oddly textured and tight against his body, the iridescent glow of his reactor radiating through the fabric just like any other attire.

"Just be careful of some things, I think Pepper hid my cup." He said shortly as he pointed over his shoulder. His sneakers echoed on the hard tile floor as he stepped over to the wrestling mat, cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders in preparation of dealing with Steve. "Let's get on with it." He said with a toothy grin, partially crouching and raising his hands like a feral animal. He even growled for emphasis.

The soldier tried to ignore how the clothing hugged the smaller man's body as he squared off with him on the wrestling mat. Every nicely toned muscle stood out in sharp contrast from the glow of the reactor. Steve barely had enough time to rethink his decision to spar with the object of his attraction before Tony made his first move.

Steve easily dodged to the side and chuckled slightly at Tony's impatience. "Thought you could get me on the mat that quick, Stark?" he teased with the ease of friendship. The way the younger man's body moved was deceptively fluid compared to his attitude. Definitely not to be underestimated, Steve decided.

Just like most of the other sessions, Steve would simply side step Tony's swings and lunges. He had every method that Tony used engraved in his mind, mapping out each movement before it played out. It just so happens that Steve is a military trained warfare specialist that has knowledge of all combat bravura known to man.

Finally, one of his swings scraped along the soldier's bicep and Tony released an excited grunt. Without warning, he launched himself off of the pad—at least four feet off of the ground—and onto Steve. He locked a leg around Steve and made to wrestle the man to the ground with his weight and aid of surprise.

With a loud grunt of shock, Steve allowed Tony to knock him to the ground. His eyes widened as he felt the other male's weight on him and the sudden flush in his face had nothing to do with physical exertion. Moment of surprise over, the super soldier rolled to the side and pinned the scientist beneath him. Steve was very careful not to let any part of their bodies touch, other than where his hands met Tony's shoulders. "You're getting better," Steve praised.

"Ohohoho, don't patronize me." Tony scoffed, his struggling completely futile against Steve's iron grip. This went on for a few minutes, but eventually he released a heavy sigh of defeat. "Okay yeah fine whatever, you got this one obviously." He said with another struggle, lifting his knee and pressing into Steve's abdomen. "I want a rematch. Now." Tony pressed his lips into a foreboding line and stared at the captain.

"If you think you can handle it," Steve replied with a smirk. The large male gracefully rolled to his feet and held his hand down to assist his friend off the mat.

The look Tony gave him as he took the offered hand could only mean trouble. Quick as a cat, the moment Tony had his feet on the mat, he pressed his back into Steve's chest and gave the soldier's arm a firm yank over his shoulder; one of the most basic moves when dealing with someone bigger than oneself. It did not hurt that Tony seemed to be a lot stronger than he looked.

Steve tumbled over the smaller man's back in a deceptively graceful roll and landed flat on his back. Before Steve could even register what was happening, there was a weight on his chest, pinning him down. He tried to sit up and push at the weight above him out of instinct, not paying attention to how much force he used. The weight –Tony, Steve belatedly remembered- let out a grunt and shifted lower to Steve's lap. There was a sound like glass cracking and then pure whiteness.

Dazed, Steve tried to look around and take in his surroundings. There was nothing. He could barely feel his own movements, could barely hear anything except a high pitched ringing in his ears. What had happened?

A voice finally made it through the ringing. What was it saying? "…eve…? Steve! C'mon, big guy, can you hear me? How many fingers am I holding up?"

Slowly, Steve's vision returned and he could see his best friend's face looming above him worriedly. Tony's hand was held up with two fingers in the air. "I don't know, nine?" Steve said smoothly, letting his friend know he was all right. He waved away Tony's concern and gently moved him aside to sit up. Clutching his head to clear away the last of the fog in his mind, Steve asked, "What happened?"

Tony smirked half-heartedly at his friend's dismissal. "Well, it looks to me that I finally won," he declared haughtily. He carefully rolled to his feet and held his hand out to help the Captain up.

Steve could not help but smile as he looked up at his best friend slash sexual attraction and replied just as haughtily, "Only because you cheated." He took Tony's outstretched hand and had to push back the feeling of warmth that spread through him from the skin to skin contact. The gloves hindered most of the touch, but Tony had grabbed his hand in just the right position that his uncovered fingertips brushed against the inside of Steve's wrist. As Steve was being hauled to his feet, his face passed dangerously close to Tony's bare chest.

_Wait… bare?!_

Taking a double take, Steve noticed that Tony's shirt was indeed no longer on his person. The contours of his muscles stood out vividly and made Steve's mind wander to places he had forbidden himself to go. The dreams he had been having the past few nights popped into his mind and made the Captain blush scarlet and quickly turn away from his friend.

"Whoa, you all right?" Tony asked, concern once more present in his voice. "You went from paper white to tomato red pretty quickly… or am I just that hot without my top on?" His finishing tone was his usual arrogance and helped Steve steel himself from his warring consciousness.

"Let's just call it a draw for now," he said easily. Ignoring the last part of what Tony had said. Steve turned back to his friend and leveled his gaze with the shorter man's. "You should probably fix that cover for the reactor," he said, taking in the sight of the shards of broken glass poking out from the edges of metal. That was probably what had shocked him when he tried to push Tony off, he figured.

Tony heaved a dramatic sigh and turned on his heel towards the changing room. "Fine, fine. But don't you dare think this is a tie just because you shocked yourself!" he exclaimed before once more disappearing to change his clothes. Images of Tony slowly taking off his shorts and bending down to unhook them from his shoes invaded Steve's mind. _Yep… it's definitely time to call it a day,_ he thought.

Shoving the strangely arousing mental pictures aside, Steve calmly dressed in his own clothes and called to Stark over his shoulder that he had something to do at his apartment and would see him later. Steve knew that Tony would see the lie immediately, but he just had to get away from there until he could control himself. It just would not do if every time he saw the other male caused a cacophony of confused desire and longing to well up inside the soldier.

. . . . . .

A/N: So there you have it! Please review and tell me what you thought! I know this might seem like a meaningless chapter, but it's all part of the character development! Trust me! Till next time!


End file.
